Moving On
by MusicLover315
Summary: Maybe it was being alone in everything that made the pain so unbearable. Maybe it was not having anybody to understand what they were going through that made the feeling of emptiness so real, so intense. And maybe meeting each other in front of that damned card-board cutout is all it will take for the two to finally be able to move on... KAGOME x STEVE


**I really don't know why I like writing Kagome and Steve crossover oneshots. I just do.**

 **But honestly, Kagome is just such a good character to crossover with other things! No joke, she's the only thing I read in terms of crossovers anymore. It has consumed me! Well, I suppose Fanfiction consumed my soul a long time ago so...**

 **Oh well!**

 **Anywho, not much left to say here other than I hope you enjoy!**

 **BUT!- Real quick update on another story I'm working on!**

 **~PREGNANCY FILES UPDATE~**

 **If any of you reading this are fans of Pregnancy Files and are wondering where the hell I have been and why the hell I wrote this instead of another chapter for you all, well I deeply apologize! School is starting next week for me though and I still haven't done my summer assignment for an AP class (I know, yikes!) and I also have an online class that I am being pressured to finish in the next couple of days. So as you can see, my schedule has been OOBER busy. I am so sorry and I really will try to have the next chapter up as soon as possible, but it might be another week or two before you see that.**

 **NOW! On with the one-shot!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Avengers or Inuyasha!**

* * *

The sounds of the city echoed in Kagome's ears as she stared up at the ceiling. The room was pitch black, yet it was doing little to help the young woman get the sleep that she so desperately needed. No. She didn't get to sleep. Instead, her blood-shot eyes remained wide open, refusing to close long enough for her mind to slip into any sort of unconscious state.

It was an awful feeling, really. Being so close to something as desirable as rest, yet not quite being able to attain it.

The blue-eyed miko shifted her gaze to the cheap alarm clock sitting on her nightstand.

4:37 A.M.

She rested her head against the pillow once again. The familiar feelings of dread and frustration began to bubble up after yet another unsuccessful night of sleep, making Kagome absolutely sick to her stomach.

No matter how much she tried to push the raging thoughts that have been consuming her into back of her mind, they always seemed to remain intact. They refused to leave her, refused to let her forget for even a second.

They were haunting her.

But really, she didn't expect anything less. She would be a fool if she believed that it was possible to forget so easily. The mere thought of such a ridiculous notion had her scoffing out loud. The sound echoed off of the walls of the nearly empty room, only adding to the feeling of loneliness that's been growing within her for the past couple of months.

She thought that leaving would help. She thought that maybe getting away from that god forsaken well and the memories it held would be enough to ease the immense pain she was having such a hard time escaping.

She was wrong.

At first, she thought that maybe she was okay. She thought that maybe being in a different country, in a more boisterous city, was actually helping her. She wasn't constantly thinking about what had happened and what could have been, but instead was focused on finding a job and surviving in a foreign place. And things were good for a while…

But then the nightmares started.

And boy were they rough.

Some nights, she would wake up screaming and sobbing hysterically: not because she held any fear towards the content of her dreams, but because of the people in which her mind had conjured up in an attempt at satisfying the desperation she felt in her soul. It had an opposite effect, however, and instead only managed to taunt and torture her with memories of her close friends, family, loved ones…

But that was only some nights. Most nights, she didn't even get the privilege of falling into that restless state of unconsciousness. All she could manage to do was stare up at the white ceiling in her small studio apartment and pray for everything to be quiet. She just wanted everything to be quiet for once. She even made sure to find a place close to the city so that the bustle of the busy population would block out anything she couldn't.

She was sadly mistaken, however, as the heavy emotion that had come to reside inside of her blocked out all of the extra noise.

Kagome continued staring at the ceiling until finally, she heard her alarm clock go off. She quickly reached over to turn off the retched device that was screaming at her to wake up.

6:00 A.M.

She looked at the clock for a moment before sighing softly and shifting to sit up with her feet dangling over the side of the bed.

She didn't have the energy to stretch, but she could imagine the pleasure she would receive from putting her aching, tired muscles through the familiar movements. She felt so tense and even more exhausted. She wanted to relax.

She slowly got out of bed and fixed her barely disturbed sheets before padding across the cold, hardwood flooring into the kitchen. She poured some water into a pot and set it on the stove to boil. While waiting, she pressed her face against the surface of the small island set up across from the stove and sighed in relief at the cool shock she received. She reached over, grabbing the remote controller to turn the small television in the connected living room on. She liked letting the news stations play in the morning. It helped distract her while she got ready for her day.

Keeping the volume down low, Kagome turned her attention back towards the, now boiling, water before pouring it carefully into a large mug. She put the pot on one of the untouched burners and made sure the all the gas was turned off. She reached into one of the cabinets to grab a peppermint tea bag and ripped it open to place inside her mug.

The woman sat on the old, beat up recliner placed in the middle of her living room and listened to the news while sipping on her tea.

This had practically become her morning ritual ever since she moved to D.C. She doesn't remember how it started. All she knows it that it makes her feel a little bit better, so she avoids questioning it.

Fortunately, she had just gotten a job at a local grocery store, giving her something to keep busy. Because keeping busy keeps your mind from wandering, and wandering was the last thing Kagome wanted her mind to do during the day.

She got enough of that at night.

Kagome was brought back to reality when the advertisement ended, switching back to the local news. She focused in on what the news anchors were saying, only to be left wide-eyed at the current story…

 _ **America's greatest hero, Captain America, has finally returned! After his sudden disappearance more than 60 years ago, Captain America, otherwise known as Steven Grant Rogers, was discovered frozen in a block of ice. His current location is unknown as more detailed information has yet to be released…**_

Kagome stared at the TV, captivated by what she was hearing. Frozen in ice? For more than 60 years? Most people would probably be in awe at the fact that the story was even true while others may recognize the name and feel an old flame rekindle now that their American hero was alive.

Kagome felt neither of those, however. There was only one thought that raced through her mind after hearing the segment…

' _That poor man…'_

She felt her stomach tighten at the thought of what the man was probably going through at the moment, only to be drawn back to the TV after hearing something that stood out to her…

 _ **While it's not known where Captain is at the moment, his exhibit is still available to the public at the Smithsonian for anybody who wants to-**_

Kagome turned the TV off. She held the remote in her hand, staring absentmindedly at the rubber-coated buttons as she thought over what she had just heard.

And with a single nod, the dark-haired girl sucked down the rest of her tea and got ready for work.

* * *

She may never admit it out loud, but Kagome couldn't help but feel dwarfed in comparison to the giant exhibit in front of her.

There were different dividers set up, creating rooms that one may enter depending on what they wanted to see. There were rooms for just about everything. Kagome discovered this quickly after walking around the seemingly endless exhibit for almost an hour. The first room she started in focused on Steve Rogers before what they called 'the serum', and went chronologically from there. Most people tended to gravitate towards the last couple of rooms as they were the ones that talked about Captain America and his adventures with a group known as the Howling Commandos. Kagome, on the other hand, found herself favoring the first room and ended up spending a good chunk of time in there.

She could say she didn't know what had kept her there, but that would be a lie. She knew exactly what it was.

She looked at the cardboard cut-out in front of her with eyes showing nothing but sympathy. She couldn't help it. Looking down at who the man was before becoming what the world knows him as today struck a chord in Kagome.

Anybody, upon meeting and even getting to know Kagome, would laugh in her face if she told them that she could relate to America's Golden Boy. Those who were close to her, however, would nod their heads in solemn understanding because they understood. They knew the truth behind the miko and would never dare question what she's been through.

Kagome felt a pang of sympathy wash through her as she continued staring at the life-size picture in front of her. She could understand the pain he was, no doubt, going through right now. She knew what it was like to be thrown into such an unfamiliar place and be expected to adapt. She knew what it was like to lose everything and everybody she held dear to her. She knew what it was like to put everything on the line to protect what she loved, only to end up with a broken heart. Sure, she had her memories. But that was nowhere near enough.

She lost her love. She lost her little baby kit. She lost her best friends.

She lost her home.

Kagome's eyes widened when she felt a single tear run down her face. She reached up to wipe it away, but it was too late. It was like she had opened a damn as tears began streaming down her face one after another.

Never once since she first came back after the well had been sealed had she broken down like this. Seeing this exhibit just brought everything back to the surface and had ultimately proven to be too much for the broken miko.

She suddenly felt relieved that the few people left in the museum had gravitated towards the last few rooms. She really didn't want anybody seeing her like this…

Trying to collect herself, Kagome stepped away from the cut-out of the pre-serum Steve and left the exhibit all together. She stepped outside of the room, keeping her head down as she made her way over to a bench set up in front of the main cardboard display at the entrance. She sat down and wiped her eyes, thinking nothing of the hooded figure she sat down next to.

She honestly felt disappointed in herself. She knew she needed to move on, but that was proving to be impossible at this point.

She didn't want to move on. She didn't want to forget.

She just wanted to go home.

"Ma'am, are you okay?"

Kagome jumped slightly at the sound of an unfamiliar voice so close to her. When she looked over to her right, she noticed that she wasn't alone like she thought she was. Sitting next to her was a large, built young man who looked to be a few years older than her at the most. His short, blond locks were peeking out from the sides of his baseball cap as he stared at her with soft blue eyes filled with confusion, concern, and uncertainty.

If not for this man's strong aura radiating his emotion so clearly, Kagome would have probably been put off by this man's presence as she had to admit, he looked more than a bit shady sitting in front of the Captain America exhibit, a place that's predominantly visited by children and young adults, in nothing but sweats, a dark hoodie, and a baseball cap.

After taking a closer look at the man, her eyes widen briefly as realization set in. As soon as she felt the uncertainty in his aura begin turning to panic, however, her eyes softened and she swiftly decided to ignore her new discovery.

"Um, yeah. I'm fine," she sniffled, wiping her eyes again. She turned back towards the entrance of the exhibit and bowed her head to avoid his gaze.

She felt the man shift a bit nervously after doing the same.

"A-are you sure? You kind of just ran out crying so…" the man stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Kagome winced, "Yeah, sorry you had to see that. It just brought up some bad memories."

The man shifted once again, "Bad memories?"

She nodded, "Yeah, just hit a little too close to home."

This only seemed to confuse the man even more. She felt him tense beside her, but never did he turn his eyes away from the Captain America display in front of them.

They remained seated in silence for what felt like an eternity after that. Both just sat there and stared at the regal set up, neither wanting to break what was held between them.

It was Kagome who ended up speaking first.

And what she said hit Steve hard.

"It's not fair."

He slowly looked at the beautiful young woman next to him only to see that the tears she had wiped away before had returned. Only this time, they were silent. She didn't make so much as a single sound as the salted water streamed down her face. All she did was stare at that damned cardboard display with this… look in her eyes. Steve couldn't explain it, but he understood it.

He understood it too well.

He looked back at his blown up form in front of him. His body sagged as the look of exhaustion fell upon his features.

"I know."

The two didn't say another word to each other. They just sat there in the middle of the museum until closing time, basking in the presence of the only other person in the world who could understand the pains that they were going through one hundred percent.

And it was that night that both Kagome Higurashi and Steve Rogers were able to finally take a breath. It was that night that a solder and a warrior, both lost in time, were finally able to come one step closer to moving on.


End file.
